Affordable LEDs To Cut Cost Of Power Purchase By Rs 12 Crore In Chandigarh

The central government’s Unnat Jyoti Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme has evoked a positive response in this city.

Implementing the scheme, the UT Administration has set up counters at different spots, including 23 Sampark centres, to distribute sets of four 9-watt LED bulbs, two 20-watt LED tubes, and a 50-watt fan. LED or light-emitting diode bulbs are energy efficient. It has given away 2.35 lakh bulbs, 32,678 tube-lights and 11,752 fans for a subsidised price under the programme.

The LED bulbs will help save 30,630 megawatt-hours of electricity every year, while the tube light will save another 14.31 lakh kWh, besides lowering the power-purchase cost by Rs 12 crore and peak power demand by 6 MW. The tube-lights will save the electricity department Rs 48.66 lakh a year. The fans will save 4,554 kWh power and Rs 15,483 a day.

The government-issued LED bulb costs Rs 70 against the market price of about Rs 150, while each tube-light costs Rs 230 under the scheme, as opposed to Rs 800 on the market. The fan costs Rs 1,150 against the market price of about Rs 1,800. Of the city’s 2.15 lakh electricity consumers, 1.75 lakh fall in the domestic category. The city’s average power demand in summer is 350MW, while the annual figure is around 250MW. The city consumes about 1,800 million units (MU) on an average a year and 9.94MU daily. Read More…